Isobel was born in Oelwein, Iowa on January 15, 1935 to Burt and Pearl Eckhart. The youngest of four girls, Isobel enjoyed a rich and carefree childhood in rural Iowa. She was a thespian, trombone player in the marching band, and friend to all. To this day she is in contact with some of her classmates. Isobel also loved spending time with her Aunt Gladys and Uncle John on their farm in Maynard, as well as the summers spent in Northern Wisconsin with her Mother and Aunt Florence.
In 1955, Isobel married high school sweetheart, Bill Mack, shortly after graduating from Iowa State Teacher's College. Her first teaching assignment was a one room classroom in Shipley, Iowa. As was the norm of those days, when Isobel began to show with her first child, she “retired” for a short time.
Isobel and Bill relocated to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where together they raised four children. During this time Isobel began creative writing, even being published in the Des Moines Register several times. When the youngest child started school, Isobel went back to work; this time at Kirkwood Community College as a course catalog writer. Over the next few years she would also become Director of Public Relations for St. Luke's Hospital and Coe College. And she continued writing whenever possible.
Though the marriage to Bill lasted nearly 23 years, they divorced in 1978.
Isobel met the love of her life, Ed McQuiston, through work and they were married on May 26, 1984. In 1989, they moved to Evergreen, Colorado, to “retire”. Isobel continued writing for local newsletters and non profits. She also was awarded honors for two one act plays, “Pearl's Girls” and “Gladys”. Ed volunteered for the US Forest Service and they both fostered cats through the Evergreen Animal Protective Society.
In 2008, due to medical and family circumstances, Ed and Isobel relocated to Hot Springs, Arkansas. They began renovating their cottage on Lake Hamilton and getting to know the community. Sadly, Ed passed in 2011, and Isobel set out to find her way as a widow. So she wrote five books under the pen name Isabel Hannah (a combination of her grandmother's names) and they can still be found on Amazon. She also had the pleasure of directing “Pearl's Girls”, which was performed several times in the Hot Springs community.
In addition to her husband Edward C. McQuiston, Isobel is preceded in death by her parents; three sisters Marilyn Dunn, Helen Hein Reinhart and Ruth Nelson; three children Chris Mack (Marcia), Wheat Ridge, Colorado; Erin Simon (Herb), Littleton, Colorado; and Shawn, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and her children's father, Bill Mack (Sharon), Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
She is survived by her daughter Kellie Kluever, Hot Springs, Arkansas; four grandchildren Ryan Kluever (Laura), Hot Springs, Arkansas; Adam Simon (Erica), Loveland, Colorado; Sarah Mack (Derek Morales), Arvada, Colorado; and Austin Simon (Hannah), Littleton, Colorado; as well as, many special nieces and nephews who loved their Aunt Bell.
There will be no services and Isobel chose to be cremated. At some point, it is the hope of the family to have both Ed and Isobel scattered in places that they enjoyed so much.
The family would like to thank the wonderful angels with Elite Hospice for their assistance during this time. And Isobel would like to send her love to her most precious angel, Dr. Amy Falck of CHI St Vincent Internal Medicine.
When I get where I'm going
There'll be only happy tears
I will shed the sins and struggles
I have carried all these years
I'll leave my heart wide open
I will love and have no fear
When I get where I'm going
Don't cry for me down here
Brad Paisley
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